The prospect of of being involved with any aspect of illegal drugs is dangerous enough but some Arkansas River Valley drug dealers have found a way to take that danger one step further.

Russellville Police Department (RPD) Public Information Officer Drew Latch told The Courier methamphetamine dealers have used plastic soft-drink bottles to make the illegal drug in a dangerous manner.

“They can put all of the chemical ingredients into the bottle and drive around while the reactions, necessary to make meth, take place,” he said. “It’s called shake and bake, or the one-pot method.

“The contents of the bottle become extremely volatile as the chemicals synthesize into meth, The ingredients, one of them being acetone, begin to spark inside the bottle, as the mixture is shaken.”

An RPD officer attached to the 5th Judicial Drug Task Force said the new concoction is starting to be seen around the Russellville area.

He said officers might see shake and bake occasionally and explained the chemical brew can be dangerous. The drug task force officer recalled an incident where a suspected bottle was thrown from a vehicle and “it burst into flames in mid-air.”

Latch said this is dangerous in several ways. Not only does the event of making the drug this way pose a danger to the person making it, but there are other risks to the public that must be considered. After using the plastic bottles, they are still contaminated with highly toxic residues which can poison anyone who comes into contact with them.

“People must refrain from touching the container or breathing in the fumes,” Latch said.

“The gas and the liquid or solid substances can cause a chemical burn.”

Latch urged everyone to be aware and cautious when picking up soft-drink bottles that have been discarded.

These are commonly found on the road side, school grounds, or in some cases, in the front yard of someone’s home.

The plastic bottle will be discolored and have a distinct chemical odor.

RPD urges residents to avoid handling these bottles and, if they suspect it is a shake and bake bottle, call the Silent Partner Tip Line at (479) 967-2221, Latch said.

It is a disservice to the public to create undue and unnecessary fear by disseminating information that is not true concerning drugs. You may see it as a moral mandate from god, but disinformation is as harmful to the public as the drugs are.

"The drug task force officer recalled an incident where a suspected bottle was thrown from a vehicle and “it burst into flames in mid-air.” I simply do not believe this statement at all.

"“The contents of the bottle become extremely volatile as the chemicals synthesize into meth, The ingredients, one of them being acetone, begin to spark inside the bottle, as the mixture is shaken.” Again, this statement is simply not true, and is for the purpose of creating fear in the public mind.

" they are still contaminated with highly toxic residues which can poison anyone who comes into contact with them." not true

This is not the first time that disinformation has been spread by law enforcement officers in the courier.

To be dependent on anything is sad, and has all kinds of negative effects on others close to the situation, in most cases. It is not justice to condemn and harass those who hurt no one but themselves, and I understand the range of possibility when substances are used irresponsibly. So the 'no one but themselves' is the important point. The method commonly known as the 'cold' method is the one we are talking about isn't it?

And I am acknowledging that a poison gas is emitted in the process. The whole point of the process is that it is done at low temperature, isn't it?

"No one but themselves", Really? What about the children in the situation? I have been in a meth house and witnessed a bath tub full of the end result, commonly known as "meth oil", and a "gasser". No big deal, right? Well, it shouldn't be, but that bath tub is where the child in the house had to take a bath. Good thing the childs parents were hurting "no one but themselves". Oh, did I mention that I went in the house with a SCBA on and when the seal broke the chemical vapors took my breath. When the child got home from school that day and got off of the bus, he didn't have one, but would have went into the house any way. "No one but themselves".

This is not the "cold" method. If you don't believe me, take the lithium out of a battery, hold it your hand and walk outside. See how "cold" it gets. Now imagine that in a container with acetone, camp fuel and other chemicals that are flammable. Low temperature, right? The only reason it does not catch fire is there is not enough air in the container to fuel the fire. But, if you take the top off...

United states B-1 and b-2 pilots, and submarine crews for the federal government are issued and use amphetamines.

Responsible use does occur, and there are situations in which amphetamines can be of great value.

The only thing that we commonly see are the results of meth abuse and addiction. And when you make a substance illegal that costs a hundred dollars to make that can then be sold for thousands, you set up a situation that is self perpetuating.

If someone wants to burn their brain to a cinder in the privacy of their own home it is none of my business as long as they are not spending public entitlement funds to support their habit.

Let's go burn all the witches, huh?

In America we should be free to make terrible choices, as long as we are the only ones that suffer the consequences.

You are confusing "methamphetamine" with "amphetamine", two different things.

Didn't you comment about the DTF and their "unconstitutional" seizure of ill gotten gains from the sale of illegal drugs? Just wondering.

The only way to win the "War on Drugs" is to legalize everything and let the chips fall. If you take the money "profit" away.....

Did you hold the lithium strip in your hand like I suggested? Just wondering how "cold" it got.

People have no fear of drugs or jail. They get caught, they go to jail, they get out. They go to rehab, they do drugs, they go to jail, they get out. Somewhere in the "cycle" they might even become a "ci" for a reduced sentence (hahaha). Reduced sentence of what? What a JOKE!!!!

Don't get me wrong, I know people who have completely quit, but it is rare. I tell them how rare it is every time I see them.

People make bad decisions every day. The difference is people used to take responsibility for their actions and now, they make excuses. I have ADHD, I am Bipolar, I have PTSD, what a joke.

I always said if I went off the deep end I didn't want an attorney to defend me, I wanted a shrink to diagnose me with something that would "explain" why I did something that everyone knows is wrong.

I had a person tell me once that they had a "disease". I asked what and I was told, "I am addicted to meth". Really, that is a disease? I told him he made a bad decision and is now suffering the consequences. He didn't see it that way, (he had been diagnosed as Bipolar), excuse to act how ever he wanted.

Ever had anything stolen from you? Or, maybe knew someone that had been stolen from? Chances are the stolen property was traded for or sold to buy drugs. But, the drug users only hurt themselves, huh?